The Gift of Cursed Blood
by Oyuki
Summary: (AU) Hilde and Duo come together after years of separation to rescue their most prescious of gifts. Fantasy because of powers a certain someone has. COMPLETE with alternate ending and all!
1. The Gift

You know the deal. Characters aren't mine, yadda, yadda, yadda… I need help with the title… any suggestions?

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 1: The Gift

Duo rode his horse hard and fast. He knew exactly what could be found in these woods if the night caught him. He'd be dead for sure. But that was the least of his concerns. The thought of his kingdom falling into enemy hands and his people dying weighed heavily upon him. This was his last resort. He couldn't think of what else to do. His people depended on him. He was king, after all. This was his responsibility. The darkness that the trees cast was eerie. It made him want to grip the hilt of the sword he'd strapped to his hip. This part of the forest was dangerous because it didn't belong to him nor did it belong to the adjacent kingdom. It was free territory and anything could be lurking in it. He felt a cold shiver run up his spine again. He urged his horse to go faster. Finally, he saw his destination in the distance. The dingy, old log cabin sat there like a refuge against the night. Once again he urged the horse to go faster. It was almost nightfall and he didn't want to be caught in the forest. He just hoped the residents of the cabin were able to help him. Reigning the horse to a stop, Duo led it to a stable. He took off the saddle and left the horse to its rest.

He walked up to the door of the cabin and knocked. The residents may have been sleeping but he could see the soft glow of firelight through the thin material of the curtains. He knocked again. He saw someone look out the window. He knew the person could see him. The full moon provided good light. The door opened to reveal a young woman no more than 23. She smiled.

"Lord Maxwell. I've been expecting," she said. "Come in. Take a seat." 

"Thank you, Hilde," he said and sat down on one of the chairs in front of the fire. She handed him a goblet of warm wine and sat down across from him. He swallowed the lump in his throat before he spoke. "I suppose you know why I'm here, Hilde."

She smiled again. "Humor me and tell me, please. I want to hear it from you," she paused, "Duo. Or should I call you Lord Maxwell. Or maybe Your Highness. I seem to remember you liked being called--"

"Let's not start this again Hilde. I need your help. As you've probably heard, we have been attacked repeatedly by enemy forces," he said softly. "Hilde, my people are dying. My kingdom is about to fall… I can't let that happen. The army isn't good enough and we-- I need your help."

Hilde passed a hand through her short dark hair. Her blue eyes looked directly into Duo's. "And why should I help you, Duo? Give me reasons," she said quietly. 

Duo closed his eyes and leaned his head against the headrest of the big chair. "People are dying, women, children, Hilde!" he snapped emphasizing the children. "I have no time for your games. Are you going to help me or not?"

She seemed to think about it for a few seconds before she answered. "No."

"Why not!" he yelled angrily. "You're my only hope, Hilde! How can you sit there and tell me you're not going to help my people. Your people!"

"Keep it down! And they're not my people, Duo. I'm not going to put my life on the line for people that didn't give a damn about me when I needed them!"

Duo could feel the tears forming in his eyes. "Let the past go, Hilde. Turn the other cheek… are you going to let hundreds of people die because of some wrong a few of them did to you?"

She laughed at him, a humorless laugh but a laugh none-the-less. "A few? A few? They ran me out of town, Duo Maxwell! I was 17 and…" she trailed off. "No, Duo. What did you ever do for me that would warrant I help you? What did THEY ever do for me?"

"Don't turn this around, Hilde. Please. This has nothing to do with what happened! Help them, Hilde!" he pleaded. He stood up and kneeled in front of her, gripping her upper arms in his hands. "Don't be selfish, Hilde."

He could see the anger in her eyes. They started to cloud over because of it and he worriedly looked out the window. It was a clear night with a bright, full moon so he could immediately see the storm clouds rolling in. He could see the lightning. Thunder crashed and Duo looked back at Hilde. "Stop it, Hilde! Don't do this!"

Hilde shook her head and her eyes cleared. She had lost control of her emotions. With her power, she couldn't afford to do that. "I can't help you," she whispered and twisted out of his grasp.

"Mama?" said a tiny voice from somewhere in the bowls of the log cabin. 

Hilde sighed and walked away from Duo. "Claire, Lucas, I'm sorry I woke you up," she said to the children who had by that time walked all the way in to the small sitting room of the cabin. 

Duo stood there. Frozen to the spot as he looked at the children. Two pairs of identical violet eyes looked back at him. 

"Duo, I think it's time you leave. I already gave you my answer and I'm not going to change my mind."

Duo couldn't look at the children anymore and Hilde's command brought him out of his reverie. "I…"

"Lucas, take your sister into my bedroom and go back to sleep. It seems I still have a few things to discuss with Lord Maxwell." 

The children obeyed their mother and went into the bedroom. 

"Duo, don't make this harder than it is. Please. Just leave us alone. We are not wanted anywhere. Are you going to make MY children subject to the taunts and barbs that I was subjected to? They aren't monster's Duo. They're gifted. They have gifts just like I do. I can't help you."

Duo could feel her intense gaze on him but he refused to look into her eyes. "It would be different, Hilde."

"No it wouldn't," she said and ran a hand through her tousled. "Duo you must remember. I helped these people once even after the way the treated me. And what did I get in return? Nothing. They all ran me out of town. The ungrateful bastards. You can sleep in Lucas' room. They'll stay with me for the night."

What more could he say? She was right about everything. She'd saved their lives once before and once they had seen what she could do they had almost killed her and kicked her out of town. "Hilde?" he called before she entered her bedroom. 

"Yes?"

"Are you sure they have… your gift?" he asked thoughtfully. 

Hilde looked at him then nodded. "Lucas?" she called. The five year old came out of his mother's room and looked at the man. He knew who he was. He'd always known. 

Hilde took his hand and lead him to where Duo was standing. She grabbed the forgotten wine and said, "Show Lord Maxwell what mother taught you this morning." With that order she flung the contents of the goblet at him. 

Duo's eyes widened horrified because knew the wine was hot enough to sting if not burn. 

The little boy's eyes narrowed in concentration and he brought his hands out as if to ward off the wine. The hot liquid stopped a few inches before reaching his hands. Lucas moved his hands slowly, as if he was holding something precious that might break if he wasn't careful. He brought the wine to eyelevel and pushed it back into the goblet his mother still held in her hand. He let out the breath he was holding and beamed at his mother. 

"That was great, Lucas. Thank you. Now go back to bed."

Lucas said nothing and obeyed his mother but not before glaring at the man in the room. 

Duo didn't say anything. Hilde took that as a sign and walked into her room. "I hope you're gone before we get up, Duo."

Duo walked to Lucas' bedroom and shut the door. He leaned against it and sighed. 

Tbc…

AN: So? What did you think? This is just something I came up with last night when I couldn't sleep. I didn't feel like checking the grammar so I just did a spell check. 

****

AN: Ahhh! Grrrr! I don't really know why I did that. Enjoy!


	2. The Curse

AN: Characters aren't mine. Yeah. We all knew that. 

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 2: The Curse

Duo sat laid in the bed and stared at the ceiling. She had a billion reasons for not wanting to help him. After all, he hadn't helped her when she'd needed him. But he'd been so young then, only seventeen years old. His father had been murdered that week he'd just been crowned king. It wasn't his fault. 

It wasn't my fault! It wasn't! 

He kept staring at the ceiling. 

__

Flashback

The townspeople were un an uproar. They had pitchforks and torches. It was out of some badly written horror movie. Their loud voices rang out into the night like a church bell. They wanted no more than to put an end to a life. Their shouts of "le the monster die" echoed throughout the palace. 

Duo wiped Hilde's forehead with a cool, wet cloth. Things were getting complicated. Outside, the town wanted Hilde brought out so they could kill her. Inside, the process of birth had taken a turn for the worst. Hilde had begun bleeding and there was no stopping it. She and the child she carried were dying. The midwife said there was nothing she could do about it. 

"I've done all I can, Your Highness. I can't stop the bleeding. I'm sorry but both she and the baby will die."

"No, Catherine! She's my wife, that's my child she carries. She can't die!"

"Help me, Duo," Hilde whispered brokenly. "It hurts so much, Duo, please help me!" The night was dark, and he knew it was because of Hilde. She was in too much pain to keep her emotions in check. He just hoped she didn't mess with the weather too much before the baby was born. He knew that the people outside would not be appeased if they saw a storm rolling in. That would cause them to be even more thirsty for blood.

Duo didn't know what to do. He was torn between his feelings for his people and his feelings for his country. He was the new king, after all. He had a duty to these people. 

"Your Highness! The townspeople are threatening to break the doors if we do not deliver the woman! You've got to do something," the guard said. He looked at Hilde who was laying on the bed.

"I don't need you to tell me that! I know I have to do something," he snapped at the guard. 

"Oh, Your Highness, I see the baby's head!" Catherine exclaimed. "Bring me a clean sheet, Your Highness, hurry."

Duo did as Catherine asked. He stood behind her, ready to assist if the need arose. He watched in awe as a tiny, bald head popped out from Hilde's body followed by tiny shoulders and finally legs that ended in rounded little toes. 

Catherine handed him the little burden after she'd made it cry. "It's a boy, Your Highness. What shall you name him?"

Duo could only smile at the tiny bundle he now held in his arms. "Lucas, like my father," he answered. 

Just then, Duo heard Hilde cry out again. "There's another one, My Lady. Push!" Catherine ordered. He watched as the tall, slender redhead got to work to bring the second child into the world. Again, Duo marveled at the beauty of seeing his child born. First the head, then the shoulders. He smiled. Two children. 

Catherine repeated the process with the second child and handed the second baby to Duo then handed the first child to his mother.

"Here, My Lady, your son Lucas," Catherine said to the almost unconscious Hilde. But she still smiled. 

Duo walked over and sat on the side of the bed letting Hilde see the other baby. "It's a girl," he said. "Her name is Claire, like your mother."

"Alright, then My Lady. You need your rest," said Catherine and took Lucas from Hilde. "Your Highness, would you please help me with the children?"

__

End Flashback

Duo woke up in a cold sweat. He didn't know when he'd fallen asleep but apparently he had. He looked outside. It was still too early to leave. He could probably get a few more hours of sleep. 

It wasn't my fault. I had no choice. 

He felt his eyes growing heavy again. He closed them and gave himself up to more memories.

__

Flashback

The situation regarding Hilde hadn't gotten any better. Nobody trusted her. All the townspeople were being so ungrateful to her. She'd saved them all from a certain demise and this is how they repaid her? By wanting her dead? 

He was glad his kingdom was still strong, but he couldn't help but think of what it would have been like if he'd never gotten Hilde involved with it. She had been an orphan since she was seven and growing up she'd faced many an adversary. She'd been working in the palace since her mother had died. But there was something special about her. Hilde had… strange powers. And as was common for people to do, the townspeople feared anybody and anything that was different. After Hilde's show of power they had all been in awe. They couldn't do enough for her. But then, a few weeks later, rumors from the same people she had saved had started to surface. 

They all wondered just how she had gained the trust of the new king. And how she had managed to ensnare him into marriage. At first it had not bothered the young couple. He was king, even at his reluctance, and she was his queen and even of nobody else believed it, they were in love. 

But now, now the people were starting to make demands. The accused Hilde of witchcraft. Of causing their animals to die or blaming every little, insignificant accident on her. It was getting ridiculous and Duo wasn't standing for it. But the men and women were getting more and more aggressive with each passing day. He constantly feared for Hilde's life and that of his children. He walked to his and Hilde's chamber. He knew he would never please his people, no matter what he promised them and nobody who he talked to. So he'd come to a decision. 

"Duo, what a nice surprise!" Hilde exclaimed at the sight of him. "It's much too early for you to be…" she trailed off. "What's wrong, Duo?" she asked worriedly. Duo glanced out the window and he saw the sky darken. A light breezy rain began to pour from the clouds. 

He walked up to Hilde and cupped her cheek in his calloused hand and kissed her tenderly on the lips. 

The rain stopped but he clouds didn't leave.

"You have to leave, Hilde," he stated plainly.

Hilde shook her head. This was no time to lose her control over her emotions. She didn't want to cause a natural disaster. 

"Take… take your children and get out of the palace!" he shouted and turned his back on her.

"You don't mean it, Duo!" she said. Hilde closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on controlling her anger and pain. She couldn't let her emotions run rampant. _Breath deeply. Take a big, deep breath and concentrate. Just like Mother taught you._ "Why?" she managed to whisper. 

"I've made a decision, Hilde. I know I can't make my subjects happy as long as you and the children are here, and I can't be selfish and keep you with me. You and your children have to go."

"But… but where are we going to go? This has been my home for the last ten years, Duo. And you can't do this to me?" she said sounding desperate. 

Duo could clearly see the trouble she was having. She couldn't control her emotions when her whole world was coming down around her. He steeled his nerves and said, "I don't know, Hilde. I don't care as long as you… and YOUR children are out of my kingdom by nightfall."

The rain began anew. It wasn't light anymore. It was a heavy, pounding rain. Pretty soon it had begun to hail and the wind picked up. 

Duo took Hilde's shoulders and shook her hard. "Control yourself!" he shouted at her. 

She began to cry and the wind became stronger. "No… no, please don't, Duo."

__

Damn it! She's going out of control. What the hell am I going to do if she releases a snow storm?

Hours later Hilde had packed all of her things and all of her children's things. Duo had lent her a carriage that would take her wherever she might go. He gave her some money and she had no choice but to accept it since she didn't have anything. She left behind all of the fancy clothing he'd bought her while they'd been married. She also left all of her jewels. The money she had to take since she didn't know where the hell she was going or what she would do. 

Hilde tried to not let her emotions control the weather. She still needed years of training to learn how to completely separate her emotions from her power. When she got into the carriage Catherine placed the children in her arms. Kissing them both she whispered a sincere "good luck" and walked away. 

The townspeople had already gathered outside the palace doors to witness her departure. She cried as they ran behind the carriage and shouted curses at her. Some of the men had gotten their swords and other weapons and yelled out threats. 

As the carriage disappeared, black, storm clouds began rolling in. Thunder and lightning in their began crashing. 

Tbc…

AN: Any questions/comments? Title ideas, PLEASE!!!!!


	3. The Guilt

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 3: The Guilt

Duo didn't leave that morning. He stayed until Hilde got up. He needed to talk to her still. He needed to try at least one more time. He heard Hilde come out of the room and he stood up from the chair he'd been sitting in. 

Hilde took one look at him, sighed and rolled her eyes. "What are you still doing here, Lord Maxwell? I thought I made it clear that you were to leave before we got up?"

Duo walked over to her. "I can't leave without asking you again, will you help me? I can't do this alone, Hilde. Please help us! I swear it will be different this time," he pleaded. He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. He cupped her cheek with the same hand. 

"It won't be. Not this time, not next, not ever. My family has had to live with this gift for centuries with this gift. The gift of cursed blood." Hilde sighed and looked up at him. "I'll help you…"

Duo's spirits lifted dramatically. He was about to hug Hilde when she held up her hand. "But I warn you, I have my children to think about and I will not hesitate to… well you know what I mean. If someone so much as looks at one of my children the wrong way you know what will happen. And believe me, they're quite capable of taking care of themselves," she warned.

"Thank you Hilde. You don't know what this means to me!" Duo moved to hug her again but she again warded him off. There was an awkward pause then he said, "I'll send a carriage for the three of you later today."

Hilde shook her head. "Don't bother. We have horses."

He took another deep breath and took her hand in his. "I-- thank you, Hilde."

"I'm only doing this so you can see that I'm not like you people. I am nothing like you," she said and turned away to wake up the children. "Go get your own horse ready, Duo. I'll be out soon to ready ours."

He nodded dumbly and walked out of the cabin. He was elated. _I didn't think she'd help me. But I'm damn glad I stayed till this morning. _He grabbed the saddle from where he'd put it last night and began the process of saddling the horse. He looked around at the other three horses and whistled. _Hilde has some pretty good looking horses. I wonder where she got them from?_

He frowned as he heard Hilde's name being called outside. 

"Hilde! Hilde are you home?" 

Hilde heard the voice and ran outside. "Blake!" she shouted and ran to greet him as he got off his horse. "Blake, what are you doing here?" she asked and hugged him. 

When Claire and Lucas walked outside ready to leave they saw the man and ran towards him. "Blake!" they shouted.

As Duo exited the stables he saw the children and Hilde hug a tall, muscular man with blonde hair. He frowned. 

Blake laughed and ruffled the children's hair. He picked Claire up and gave her a kiss on her chubby cheek. "I thought I'd come visit before I left for King Quatre's castle. Are you going somewhere, perhaps I can take you where you're going before I leave," he said smiling at the three. 

A pang of hurt, anger and guilt washed over Duo. _That could have been me…_He shook his head trying to shake the feelings. This was not the time to think of this. He had chosen to remain a king and now he had to live with his choice. As much as it hurt him to admit it, he had to live with the fact that Hilde may have found someone else or that she eventually would. _This isn't your family anymore, Duo. Another man will eventually fill the place that should have been mine._

Hilde laughed at something the blonde man said. "No, Blake. It's not necessary. We are traveling with King Maxwell. He's enlisted our help," she said. She looked up at Blake. She didn't like the play of emotions radiating from him. Over the years she had almost mastered the separation of her emotions and her power. She had spent a large part of her pregnancy just concentrating and meditating. Once the children were born it became difficult to find time for herself, but she had managed to almost master it. A bit more training and she'd be able to fully control herself when she was angry, happy or sad. It was too hard sometimes. She would feel sad and her powers would go hay-wire and she could swear she could bring the heavens down. 

"It's not like that," she told him as if he'd asked the question. She'd also learned how to read others' emotions. It was almost mind-reading but not quite. It was more about body language and the kind of energy radiating from the person than about hearing his or her thoughts. It was easy really.

"I didn't say anything," he said and smiled. He'd made it no secret that he was interested in her. He wanted to be the man by her side and a real father to her children but she'd been turning him down for the past four years. He'd met Hilde when the twins were almost a year old and he'd offered to help her with anything she needed. She saw right through that act but didn't deny him her friendship. He shot a look towards Duo knowing full well he was still Hilde's husband and the true father of her children. He still didn't know why she lived here while he lived the easy life back at his castle. If that were him, he would put his family first. "Just be careful. You know how to reach me," he said to her and added a kiss on her soft cheek. She kissed him back and said goodbye. 

"But mom! I want to show Blake what you taught me!" protested Lucas crossing his arms across his chest. 

Claire glanced at her brother and mimicked the pose. "Yeah! We want to show him!"

Hilde merely laughed. "You may show Blake some other time. Right Blake?"

Blake nodded and kneeled in front of the children. "You two behave for your mother, you hear?" he said and ruffled their hair. "I'll be back once I've had word that you guys have come back."

Hilde started to walk to the stables when she noticed Duo standing there. He didn't look very happy. She mentally shrugged her shoulders and walked past him without saying a word. Lucas and Claire followed after her silently. Lucas shot Duo a dirty look before walking past him.

He felt his heat lurch. _They don't owe me any explanations but I would sure as hell like some._ He sighed and followed them. This was going to be a long ride home. He wonder how fast the children could ride without needing to stop and sleep. 

"Hilde--" he started but she interrupted him. 

"We'll be at the castle before the sun sets. We'll only stop twice on the way."

"Are you a mind reader now?" he wondered aloud. 

Hilde scoffed and said, "Hardly. I've prepared some food for the trip. It's not much but it should serve as breakfast. Well stop at midday for some lunch and then later for a rest."

"Looks like you have this trip all planned out," he said dryly, not liking how she was taking control of the situation. He was the man after all. 

"Listen, Duo, do you want my help or not?" she snapped. "Lucas, Claire and I have no business going to your country and making it all better for you! I'm doing you a favor because you were my husband and you're the father of my children. I could just as well unsaddle this horse and go back in my house and teach my children how to make the rain pour out of the sky without lifting a finger!" she cried angrily. 

Duo was about to reply with an equal amount of anger and some very colorful words when he remembered the children. he opened his mouth and just as quickly closed it. He took a few deep breaths and apologized. 

"Mama, why can't we stay with Zorra? I don't want to go to stinky, old Maxwell Castle!" cried Claire. She hadn't said much since Duo arrived but she was just as talkative as her brother and mother. And her father if you consider it but she couldn't make that comparison since this was the first time she had ever seen the man she knew to be her father.

"Claire," said Hilde warningly as she helped Lucas onto his horse and handed him the reins. 

Claire pouted and moved towards her horse just as her mother came up behind her to help her on. "I just don't want to go, Mama," she confessed as Hilde handed her the reins. "We'll only be there for a little while, sweetheart, and besides it'll be good for your training."

Duo watched Hilde with the children. They seemed so grownup to him. They didn't act like five year olds should. Not that he'd know since he'd never had any contact with children of any age. 

A realistic, yet painful image flashed in his mind. It was of him teaching a five-year-old Lucas how to shoot a bow. Yes, this was going to be a long ride. He mounted his horse and called out to Hilde, "Are you ready?"

She sung up onto her own horse and followed him out. She let him lead the way since he'd gotten angry at her for taking control. _You'll never change, will you Duo?_ He didn't understand that she wasn't the same as before. She'd changed and she hoped that it was for the better. 

I'm not the same, Duo. I won't bend to your will as I did before. 


	4. The Lust

Warning: I'm not much for action… sorry. I can't write it. 

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 4: The Lust

Duo was amazed at how intelligent the children were. As he'd thought, they were far more advanced than any children of their age. Any regular children, anyway and he knew they weren't normal children. Their peculiar powers emanated from deep within. At first glance you could tell they were special. They gave off the same kind of electrifying energy Hilde did. 

"They're coming," Duo said behind Hilde. She was staring out the window in the north tower of the castle. She looked quite the minion of some dark lord just standing there with her raven hair and dark clothes. The sleeves of the black gown she wore billowed in the wind she herself had summoned.

"I see them," she said darkly. "Keep Claire and Lucas out of the way but don't take them out of this room." She turned to him. "How do you want me to do this?" she asked and turned around again to stare out the window.

"Let my men take care of them. If you see they are being overwhelmed then help them. I really appreciated this, you know?" 

She nodded. Pretty soon the impending battle was underway. Duo's soldiers, wearing green and black, weren't putting up a difficult fight. They were under trained and didn't have the necessary equipment. It seemed that this kingdom had deteriorated during the passed five years. 

The attacking kingdom, that of King Damien Dushuku, had all the advantages for winning. 

Hilde took one last look at the ground and raised her eyes towards the heavens. She closed her eyes and brought her hands up as if she was praying. She summoned more wind. The battle cries and the screams of the wounded pierced through her carefully maintained concentration. She shook her head and began again. She'd never been or seen a battle. 

On the ground the Maxwell forces were not doing very well. "Don't let them into the town! Hold your positions!" one of the generals shouted. _I hope that woman can help us. If she can't then we're bloody done for._

He took a chance and looked up at the sky. Dark clouds appeared out of nowhere. The wind picked up even more. A heavy rain began to fall. He noticed the wind changing directions.

*~*~*~*

"Oh no, my dear Hilde. I won't let you ruin this for me," said a woman. She looked into a strange mirror on the wall. She could see Hilde trying to help the poor imbeciles of the Maxwell kingdom. "Poor retched creatures," the woman purred. 

She looked at the mirror and began chanting. 

*~*~*~*

Hilde stiffened. _Someone is countering my powers._ Her heart beat faster. She whimpered quietly so as not to worry neither Duo or the children. Whoever this was, he had a much firmer grasp on his power than she did. But that didn't mean he was stronger than Hilde was.

She cleared her mind and blocked the rest of the world out. It wasn't just about the battle going on the ground anymore. It was a battle of wills between Hilde and this unknown person. She lowered her head and brought her arms to rest at her sides. She tapped into her emotions. 

**__**

There's no use, Hilde. 

Hilde shook her head. _What the hell?_

****

You can't compete.

Hilde ignored the voice in her head and brought down hail. She ignited a fire within the enemy camp despite the rain.

**__**

You can't beat me. You're not strong enough. 

__

No! No! Get the hell out of my head!

Hilde screamed and fell to her knees taking her head in her hands. She didn't know what this was but it was scaring the hell out of her. 

**__**

No use… no use… no use

The voice echoed in her mind. She could see Duo above her but she couldn't hear him. He yelled at someone else in the room. It could have been the children but she wasn't sure. She didn't have the will to talk. 

**__**

There's someone coming up the stairs, Hilde. Laughter followed the comment.

Hilde whimpered. "Someone," she whispered brokenly.

"What? Hilde what the hell is wrong?" He shook her. She had stopped with her attack a few minutes ago and she'd started to talk to herself. "What is this?" he asked.

The last thing Hilde saw before she fainted was the thin lips of a woman curve into a cruel smile. **_You can't compete, Hilde._**

*~*~*~*

"Take the children… and eliminate Maxwell," said the woman to the image in the mirror.

Tbc…

AN: Well, this was unexpected. I can't do action very well. I hope what happened wasn't too confusing. Did the title make you think of something else? Comments are craved.


	5. The Wait

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 5: The Wait

"What happened?" whispered Hilde. She had awoken a few seconds ago but couldn't get her bearings. Her head ached and her and she felt as if she was underwater and her ears were going to pop because of the pressure. She rubbed her eyes. In a rush the memories of what had happened came back and she sat up quickly despite the protests of her body. She ached all over. She looked around the room half-crazed.

"Duo?" she called. "Duo? Answer me! Please!" she yelled. She struggled to get on her hands and knees. She knew nothing physical had happened to her but she felt as if she'd been beaten. 

She crawled around the room. Looking for something, somebody. She crawled around the table in the room and saw a black boot. As she got closer she saw the boot led to a leg and the leg belong to Duo. 

Duo lay sprawled on the floor in a pool of his own blood. His long braid was black from all the blood it had absorbed. Hilde closed in on him in horror. His eyes were open and his hands were limp at his sides. Hilde chocked back a sob. She shook his shoulders gently and urged him to respond to her. "Duo? Duo what happened? Where are Lucas and Claire?" She touched his cheek gently. She started to cry. She shook him again and spoke to him quietly. She placed his head on her lap and touched his cheek with her hand gently. He was in really bad shape but he was alive. 

"Hilde?" he said almost inaudibly. His eyes fluttered and he finally closed them. He was losing too much blood too fast. He had multiple cuts and scrapes from a sword, she guessed. She looked at where the most of the blood was coming from. It as a wound on his abdomen; it was a mortal wound.

"Duo, please wake up! I can't help you if you don't wake up!" she cried brokenly. "Just open your eyes!" she ordered. She didn't like this it was too quiet. There was no noise anywhere. After a battle there should be some kind of noise. What the hell happened? She shook Duo again. He was too weak but she couldn't use her full powers on him. She was too weak and it would help if he would just open his eyes. 

__

He's not going to wake up. I have do something. 

She looked over Duo, gauging the multiple wounds he had and the one that would kill him if she didn't do something. "Duo, there's too much for me right now. I can't heal you," she whispered. Her hands were covered with his blood, her clothes had been stained also. She had no choice. She place her hands on the wound. Her power poured through but it wasn't enough to heal him completely. She couldn't heal any of his other wounds but she'd be damned if she was going to let him die. 

She gasped and struggled for breath when she was done. She felt lightheaded and nauseous. She had only enough power to heal the organs the enemy's sword had penetrated and the exit wound. The long cut, the one the swordsman had delivered as a killing blow, was still open along with all the other gashes on his body but none of them threatened his life anymore. If she didn't get her strength back it would take him more than a few days to heal.

Hilde started to cry in earnest and slumped over. She sobbed on Duo's chest asking him to wake up. She felt a pair of arms come around her shoulders and hold her close. Her eyes widened as she realized Duo was awake and hugging her. She pushed herself up and forced him to let her go. "What happened, Duo? Where are Lucas and Claire?"

Duo closed his eyes and shook his head. "I… I tried to fight them but they kept coming, Hilde. There were too many of them and I couldn't do anything. I'm sorry…"

Hilde wiped her tears and fixed her eyes on him. "What happened? Tell me where they are, Duo!"

"They took them…" he whispered. 

She let out a long, piercing, primal scream. She felt electricity course through her veins. Heat built up in her body and her hands started to shake. "No!" she screamed. It was the middle of the day but the sky darkened to pitch black. The thunder was deafening and lighting struck the barren trees outside. 

Hilde's eyes darkened from their original cornflower to black. A strong wind picked up all the furniture and everything else it could carry. 

Duo looked at her in horror. She'd started a whirlwind in the tower!

Hilde kneeled on the floor next to Duo. The wind made her hair fly all over the place and picked up the sleeves of the black gown she worse. 

If no one had ever seen her or her mother display this kind of power before they could have sworn they were looking at a goddess. She was breathing hard and her hands were starting to go numb. It was too much power. 

Duo struggled to his feet. He had to stop her before she lost the little control she had over her powers. He picked up his forgotten sword by its jeweled hilt. His bloody hand gripped it until his knuckles turned white. He raised the sword and brought the hilt down on Hilde's skull. 

The clouds and rain were gone as quickly as they had come. The furniture in the tower came crashing down and Duo winced. Hilde lay unconscious at Duo's feet as he labored to keep himself up.

*~*~*~*

"I don't see why we can't go now, Duo!" yelled Hilde. "It's been three days already!" She was pacing in front of Duo, who was sitting in an armchair in his bedroom. 

He sighed and tried to argue his point. "Well, first: it's the middle of the night. Second--"

"Don't be cute, Duo! Just tell me your excuse so we can move on!"

He shook his head. "We need a plan, Hilde. Plain and simple," he said through gritted teeth. "And, we don't need you going in a rampage with your powers. Control yourself, Hilde! Look at you know! You're depressed and you're making all of use miserable with this damn heat!"

"Well, maybe if my children hadn't been kidnapped I wouldn't be depressed and I could get a hold of my powers. Or maybe that bitch that was in my head did something to me!" She paused for a second. "I just want Claire and Lucas with me, Duo. That's all I want. I can't live without them! You just don't understand how I feel."

He got up and walked to her. He reached out and took her chin in his hand. Her raised her face so he could look into her eyes. "Of course I do, Hilde, they're my children too," he whispered. 

She shook her head and pulled out of his arms. "You're children too?" she scoffed. "You abandoned them, Duo. You gave them up. You may have spawned them but you're not their father. It's being there that would make you their father and you've never been there!"

Duo backed off. "I love them too, Hilde. Don't you think I'm worried about them?"

Hilde hugged herself. "Let's get back to what's really important, Duo and that is when are we going to get _my_ children back?"

"Fine, Hilde. I'll call my captain to me and we'll come up with something."

Tbc…

AN: Yeah, I know nothing happened here. I changed the title too. Hopefully the next chapter will be: The Blood.


	6. The Dream

AN: Nope, the characters are still not mine. And yup, I changed the title of the chapter yet again. 

Warning: I wrote most of this chapter (maybe the last few pages)while listening to KC and Jo-Jo's song "All My Life," Usher's "You Got It Bad," Black street's "Don't Leave Me," Voices of Theory's "Heaven" (that song takes me waaaaaaaaaay back to when me and my boyfriend first had crushes on each other when we were 14 and in jr high!) and finally, Frankie J's "Don't Wanna Try." May be sappy…

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 6: The Dream

Hilde pushed the heavy, oak door open and her eyes were immediately drawn to the woman in the middle of the room. There was a boy and a girl in the room with the woman and Hilde's eyes widened when she saw it was Lucas and Claire. She ran towards them to try to get the woman away from them but realized she couldn't move. She screamed at them to get away from this red haired woman who had kidnapped them. With great disappointment and sadness, she discovered that her children couldn't hear her. 

"Damn you! Let them go!" she screamed at the woman. "Give them back!" she yelled again and struggled to move. Her whole body was frozen to the spot. Her arms and legs wouldn't budge no matter how much she struggled. She looked down to see if there was anything hindering her movements but found nothing. It was the only the woman's power that was holding her in place. 

__

How can someone be so powerful? I should be able to fight back. I'm not this weak.

Hilde tried yelling again but to no avail. She saw her children cower from the woman as she yelled something at them. With a sinking heart she realized that they couldn't hear her either. With all her might, Hilde tried to move her limbs. She wouldn't give up without a fight. If it was a fight this bitch wanted then a fight she was going to get. Hilde concentrated on getting her limbs loose of whatever was holding her in place. She saw the energy of the magic that was holding her in place but other than that she saw nothing.

__

Wait a minute…magic? Magic! This power isn't natural! It has a source.

With renewed strength and determination, Hilde concentrated on the source of the energy that held her. She stopped suddenly when she heard the red haired woman's muffled speech. Her lips were moving but Hilde couldn't hear what she was saying. Hilde tried her voice again but it's still didn't' work. She was left there to try and read the lips of the redhead. 

If she concentrated hard enough she knew she could catch some of what the woman was saying. It sounded muffled but she tried harder. She closed her eyes and tried to picture the exact same scene that was laid out before her. 

The words the woman was speaking became clearer. Slowly, she began to understand what the woman was saying to her children. The voice seemed far away, surreal almost. It was very faint but very clear. It sounded as if the woman was speaking directly in her mind, as she had done back a the castle, rather than being in the same room with her.

**__**

I am Natasha, and you are to be my pupils. You will do everything I tell you.

But our mama teaches us everything! Why did you bring us here?

Hilde almost cried as she heard the voice of her son for the first time in days. She saw him take a hold of his twin sister's hand and squeeze it lightly as if telling her everything was going to be okay and to let him handle speaking to the woman.

The woman laughed loudly and slapped the little boy.

**__**

You're mother is probably dead by now. And if she isn't, there is no way she can ever win. She doesn't have the power that I do.

We don't like you! You hit us!

Hilde's heart broke at the desperation of her son's voice. Oh God, the needed to get moving before this woman harmed her children!

**__**

Shut up! Only speak when I give my permission, you impudent child!

Hilde was going to kill this woman; she was going to pay for this! Suddenly, the woman's voice became muffled again until Hilde could no longer hear her. She opened her eyes only to see that her body was moving backwards and away from the room in which the red haired woman called Natasha held her children. 

"No!" she yelled, having regained her voice. "No!" she cried desperately. She struggled against the magic that was pulling at her but it was too much for her. She saw the woman's mirror appear in front of her and realized she was no longer in the room with the woman. This was a different room. It was beautifully furnished. It was a fairly large room with a big, four-poster bed and a large window that led to a balcony. Across from the bed hung the intricate mirror she had seen the red haired woman look into. 

__

Natasha. 

The mirror pulsated with the same magic that radiated from the woman. The same magic which held her in that room. The dark energy surrounded the room but it seemed to concentrate in the mirror. 

__

What the hell is this? Why am I here? Where…

*~*~*~*

Hilde bolted upright. She was breathing hard and her heart was beating like crazy. She put one hand to her chest and with the other she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

__

A dream. 

She swung her legs off the bed and pushed herself off. The cold stone floor was freezing under her feet but she ignored it. She walked out of her room and down the hall. Without knocking, she entered Duo's chambers. She hesitated when she approached the bed. From what she remembered about him he liked to sleep in his birthday suit and tonight was no different. All she could see was his chest but she was sure that under that sheet that was loosely draped across his hips, he wasn't wearing anything underneath. Hilde licked her lips and gingerly climbed on the bed. 

"Duo," she said and shook his bare shoulders but he only stirred and turned on his side. She shook his shoulders again. "Duo wake up!"

"Hmmm?" He mumbled and turned over again. 

Exasperated, Hilde pinched his left nipple and twisted. 

He yelped and sat up instantly. "What the hell?" he screeched and turned on to Hilde. "Who the hell are you? What are you doing in my bedroom?"

"Shh! Shhh! It's me, Hilde. Calm down!"

She saw him rub his nipple and he flopped back onto the bed on his back. "What are you doing here? You don't--"

"No, I don't, Duo. Get your mind out of the gutter," she said dryly. "I had a dream about Lucas and Claire." Hilde scooted closer to him on the bed so she could see him better in the dim light that came in through the window because of the full moon. She put her hands on his shoulders and forced him to sit up again. 

He sighed but complied. "What was the dream about?"

"I was in Lord Dushuku's castle, or I'm assuming I was there I don't know, but there was this red haired woman with brown eyes and she was yelling at Claire and Lucas and she slapped him. Duo, I'm so worried about them," she confessed. 

He could hear the desperation in her voice and, not for the first time, wondered what feelings a mother harbored for her children. He wondered just how a woman could love her children so and he wondered if his mother had ever loved him with the intensity Hilde loved their children. 

Hilde sniffled lightly and said, "We need to do something, Duo. She's not a… she's not like me, Duo. She's a witch. She uses dark energy and her powers have a source. It's all magic, Duo. Her control over the weather, her mind control, everything is magic Duo. It's not natural."

Duo didn't say anything for a while. He just listened to Hilde's sobs. A rainbow of emotions assailed him. He was angry, sad and depressed all at the same time. He couldn't tell where one emotion began and the other ended. He, most of all, felt like crying. His children were lost, kidnapped, and there was nothing he could do about it. 

Suddenly he turned to Hilde. "A red haired woman?"

Hilde wiped the tears from her eyes and nodded. "Her name is Natasha, I heard--"

Duo's head snapped up and he looked at Hilde. "Natasha?" he asked.

"Yes, Natasha. Why?"

"Natasha… that's the name of Dushuku's daughter… it's because of her that he's been attacking us."

Hilde was confused. "Did you--"

"No. I didn't sleep with her. I refused to marry her."

"She's going to hurt them, Duo! She's going to hurt them because you couldn't marry her because we're still married!" she sobbed. She covered her face with her hands and cried harder. Her sobs made her body shake. 

Duo didn't hesitate one second. He forced her hands away from her face and he hugged her to him tightly. Hilde wrapped her arms around his shoulders and cried. He could feel her tears making his shoulder wet but he didn't care. He caressed her short hair. 

Damn, I've missed this Hilde. I've missed you so damn much. 

Hilde dislodged herself from his arms and looked at him and studied him for a few seconds. _You haven't changed from the last time I saw you, Duo. You're still as handsome as you were when you were seventeen. I've missed you, Duo._

"I… I want my babies back, Duo. We have to do something soon," she whispered. 

"I know," he answered. He stared at her for what seemed like hours but it wasn't more than a few seconds. He hesitated for a second before he leaned in closer to her. He could feel her breath on his lips already. He could almost taste them. It had been so long since he'd kissed those lips. 

Hilde felt her heart speed up like crazy. It was going a million miles per hour and she was afraid it was going to leap right out of her chest. His moist lips were mere millimeters from hers. 

__

Why do I feel exactly like I felt the first time he ever kissed me? 

Hilde closed her eyes when his lips finally made contact with hers. She wanted to moan from the feelings the touch of their lips evoked in her. It was so sweet yet so sinful to kiss him like this. 

Duo touched his tongue to her lips and persuaded them open. When she complied he deepened the kiss. He groaned in contentment at the feel of her lips and tongue against his. He tentatively placed his hands on her shoulders and pushed her down onto the bed without breaking their kiss. 

__

Oh God, I want this. I want him. I need him.

Hilde let herself be kissed senseless by her husband. They had both been alone for such a long time now and the stress from the last few days had them yearning for some physical contact. She wrapped her arms around him and ran her hands up and down his naked torso, loving the feel of his warm skin under her hands once again. 

He ran his hands down her shoulders taking the straps of her thin nightgown with them. He moved his mouth down along her jaw and placed wet kisses down her throat and neck whispering how much he loved her still and how much he'd missed her. 

Hilde gasped as his hand slipped from her shoulder down to her thigh. He ran his hand up her leg slowly, taking his time and raised the hem of her nightgown up to her hips.

Tbc… 

AN: *Oyuki gets down on her knees and begs readers not to kill her* Horrible place to stop, I know, but use your imagination for what happened next! There ya go Darkwing! You wanted them to get bored! And Estrange, I know you're going to want to kill me since you're hating Duo right now but c'mon! It's the calm before the storm of horrible, despicable, cruel, brutal, merciless, vicious things I'm about to do to them! It's also hormones! And Duo is hot! You'd have to be crazy to turn that man down! Please review!!! 


	7. The Blood

AN: Well, my excuse for not writing is over! It was 102° the other day and then it went to by ten degrees then poof! The temperature is 62°! It's great now! I was using the fact that it gets too hot in my room not to write but not that it's not hot anymore. I have to write now… but I have a sore throat. I can't talk, I can't eat, everything hurts. My head, my arms, my back… everything including my throat. Um, Hilde is wearing something like Ranko , Ranma's female, side would wear. Or maybe Wufei. Whatever…

Warnings: Ew! I can't believe I wrote that one part. I don't want to give it away but… okay, I have to tell you or else it won't be a warning and you need to warned and be prepared… Okay, there's incest in here and this chapter is a little dark.

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 7: The Blood

Hilde was breathing hard, trying to control her anger. "I'm not doing it! I'm not staying here, Duo!" she cried. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to strike him with lightening. She wanted to kill him for saying she had to stay here.

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "You're staying here and that's final, Hilde. You would jeopardize the children if you were to lose control. I don't want them hurt and I don't want you hurt. I just don't my family hurt." He touched her cheek gently with his calloused hand. When he'd woken up that morning the spot next to him had been empty. She had left before he'd woken up. It had hurt him to see her place empty. He had never wanted to make her leave five years ago. He'd regretted it soon as the carriage carrying her and their children was out of sight. He wished he could have shaken his responsibilities off his shoulders and be with her and Lucas and Claire, but he couldn't do that. He had a duty to his people and he had taken it seriously. He had never wanted to be king and he'd reluctantly accept the crown when his father had died. When he'd married Hilde he'd thought he would have many years to learn how to be king from his father, but his father had been taken down at he prime of his life. 

"You don't understand, Duo. I can't stay here knowing that you… that you are out there and you might get hurt." She hugged him tightly. They were outside with the rest of the town. Everywhere women, children, mothers and fathers were saying their goodbyes to the brave men who were going out to battle. They knew well that they may never return to be with their loved ones.

It was a bright and sunny morning. The soldiers were dressed in their armor and their swords were strapped to their hips. Hilde held her bow and quiver tightly. She had expected to go with them but Duo wouldn't let her. 

They hugged each other tightly and whispered words in each other's ear. Hilde began crying against her will. She didn't want to cry in front of these people. She didn't want to show her them that her weakness was Duo and her children.

"Don't cry, Hilde. I'll bring Claire and Lucas back if it's the last thing I do. If something happens to me then… you will rule until our son is--"

Hilde sobbed and covered his mouth with her hand not letting him finish his sentence. "Don't say that, Duo. I will never do that! I will not be queen because you'll come back with our son and daughter." Her heart was pounding against her chest rapidly. 

He kissed her lips softly and hugged her again. He wanted to memorize the feel of her body against his for the upcoming separation. They'd lived with out each other for so long that now even the thought of being away from her for a few days was heartbreaking. "Whether you like it or not Hilde, you're already queen. You're still my wife and as such you're in charge of this castle, the town and the people until I come back. I love you, I've loved you since the first time I saw you. You've plagued my dreams since then. Never forget that. " he whispered and kissed her forehead. _I pray to Heaven that I can come back from this just to see you again. I want happiness for us, Hilde. I want us to grow old together and watch our children grow._

Hilde looked down at her feet when he parted from her and didn't answer back with the words that he'd hoped. She bit her lower lip and pleaded again for him to let her go with them. "Please, Duo. You don't know what kind of power she has!" _Heaven help him! God, please let him bring my children back! Keep him safe!_

"I know she has power, Hilde. I'm willing to sacrifice my life for my children. I won't let you down. I will bring our children back, I promise, and you and I will talk about you staying here permanently."

She knew he would say no if she asked one more time. There was nothing she could do. 

Duo turned away from her, sure they were done talking and climbed on to his horse. He turned the horse around but Hilde stopped him with her hand on his. He looked down at her blue eyes and willed himself to commit to memory the way she looked right then. It could be the last time he saw her and if he died she would be the last thing on his mind before he met his maker.

"Here," she said taking her bow and quiver from her back and handing them to him. "You will need these more than I will." There was a pause before she said, "I will pray every minute of every day for you. Every night I'll pray for you and my children, Duo. Please come back safely. I love you."

__

I would do anything for you, Hilde.

He took a deep breath and, with one last look in her eyes, kicked his horse's side. The black horse started into a gallop and broke into a run and soon, Duo's depleted army followed. Hilde watched them go with and a weight settled in her stomach. She wanted to go with them so badly. Her heart ached for each and every one of the men that left. They're numbers were not as great as they once where and she knew they would most likely be defeated by the greater forces of King Dushuku's army or his daughter Natasha's power.

*~*~*~*

It had been three days and still not word from the forces of the Maxwell army. That could mean anything and Hilde knew it. She had been in her chambers the whole time. She couldn't eat, she couldn't sleep thinking about what was happening. She couldn't sit still for more than a minute. 

__

My children and my husband are in danger and they expect me to sit idly by without doing anything. They expect me not to worry about them!

She had a really bad feeling. Deep in her heart she knew that something was wrong. She looked out the window. The sun was setting and its fading glow cast shadows across the vast lands. She walked to the closet and looked through the clothes. There wasn't much in there and she soon found what she was looking for. 

When she was done she surveyed how she looked. The outfit was black and it consisted of a sleeveless ankle length gown with thigh-high slits one each sides. Underneath she wore Chinese, black pants that showed through the slits. She wrapped a wide cloth around her middle in place of a belt and donned black, Chinese slippers. She hid her weapons in the correct places and walked to the window. 

Duo had left orders to the remaining guards not to let her out of the castle so she would have to escape. 

Silently, she crept out the window. She would have to find a way to climb down but she didn't care. _I should have thought this through, these clothes aren't very practical for climbing._

Carefully, she made her way down with the help of the bricks from the castle's walls. It wasn't easy but she'd done it enough times in the past to know it was possible. Corners of the bricks stuck out at odd places, all she had to do was find them and she would be fine. The sun was all but gone and that made it harder for her to see the ledges. By the time she was halfway down the sun had set and she was shrouded in darkness. She cursed and looked down. She couldn't really see how much she still had to go. Hilde tried to feel for the little ledges with her feet bit it was impossible. 

__

Definitely should have thought this through. 

She muttered quick prayer and let go of the wall. _Lucas' telekinesis would really come in handy right about now._

She tried to land on her feet but she couldn't judge how far she would fall. She landed on her side with a thud and the air was knocked out of her lungs. She recovered quickly and made her way to the stables.

She'd take her horse as far as she could before it could be spotted by the soldiers. 

*~*~*~*

Duo wiped the sweat and dirt from his forehead. He was tired and dirty and he wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep but he knew he couldn't pull back his dwindling army now. It had been a one and half days' ride with little sleep. They had rested as much as they could and they had stormed into the castle early that morning. They were, of course, met by attacks from the Dukushu army but Natasha had yet to make an appearance. They had made progress but by the end of the day they had to get out of there. He had lost many men but he was sure the enemy had lost more. They'd had the element of surprise that morning but he was sure that would not happen again. King Dushuku knew they were there and he'd fight back with all the power he had. His secret weapon was his daughter and he'd use her sooner or later. 

He really wished he had brought Hilde for when Natasha made her entrance but he didn't want her to get hurt and he needed someone to stay in his place in case something happened to him. She wasn't pleased with that and neither were the people of the town but he'd be dammed of they didn't accept her as queen. It was her rightful place as his wife. 

He played with the end of his long braid. Images of his son and daughter locked up somewhere flooded his mind. He didn't want to think of those things but no matter how hard he tried to couldn't stop. God only knew what these people were doing to his children. He wanted to hold them badly. He wanted to hold them close and give them all the love he hadn't given them for the last five years. But most of all, he wanted to storm in that castle, take back his children and give them back to Hilde. He could only imagine what she would say when he gave her back the children. He dreaded the days of battle that were to come, but he longed for the day he could get his children back. He'd promised Hilde. He promised he would do everything in his power to get Lucas and Claire back safely. _A promise is a promise. I'll get my children back and we'll finally be a real family like we should have been._ He ran a hand through his bangs and got up from his spot near the fire. He walked to a nearby tree and sat down leaning his back against the trunk. He sighed and closed his eyes in an attempt to get some rest. Long, hard days awaited him and his soldiers.

*~*~*~*

Natasha Dushuku paced the floor of her bedroom. Every now and then she would look up from the floor and look at the mirror that hung across from her bed. Things weren't really going according to her plan. She had been right that Maxwell would try and storm her castle but she thought he would do so with the help of his long-forgotten wife, Hilde. She wanted to face Hilde face to face and it would not do to just destroy the Maxwell forces. She wanted revenge for his rejection. Natasha ran he hands through her red hair.

__

Stupid Maxwell had the audacity to reject my father's proposal for marriage! He didn't know what he was doing! I hate him! I hate him and I'm going to kick him where he's down! Hurt him where it hurts the most! 

Her thin lips turned up into a malicious smile. _Yes. His children were a very good asset to have. They were stubborn but they would succumb to her powers. _She wondered how they were doing locked in the dungeon. She had the locked in there since they got there and refused to feed them anything other than stale bread and water. If she couldn't make their parents suffer then the children would suffer in their stead. Her father had insisted she not put them in there but she had that old man wrapped around her little finger. 

She laughed aloud at the memory of her father. _That dim-witted old man._ There was a soft knock and her father came in. 

He was an old man. There was no denying that. He was 75 years old and he was lucky he even had daughter. He had been married three times before his final wife become pregnant. He had always made sure to marry someone who was a lot younger than him. His last wife had been 20 when he had been 55 years old. He liked to remember her sometimes. She had the same hair and features as his daughter, Natasha. They had the same spirit.

Natasha smiled brightly at the old man and walked over to him to give him an exuberant hug. "Oh father, it's so nice to see you today!"

Old Dushuku returned the hug but let go of her slowly. "I don't know what you're thinking, Natasha! It was a close call this morning when Maxwell attacked. His army may be small but they have a lot of experience our own forces lack! Our numbers are great but they have more skill! They're army isn't just young men you picked up from the village!" said the old man.

Natasha sighed and rolled her eyes. She wanted to punch the old man. He was feeble in mind and strength. She sighed again and plastered the brightest smile she could muster. "But Father, like you said our strength lies in our numbers. Maxwell's army is depleted, we made sure of that!" she said and hugged her father again. She kissed his cheek and she felt him respond by hugging her tighter. 

She smiled when her father moved his mouth against hers. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she responded by letting it roam and play with hers. Dushuku's hand slipped from her waist down to her hip. His other hand moved to touch her breast.

Natasha moaned and ground her hips against his. She knew she could control him with this. She had been horrified the first time he'd taken her but she had learned to use her father's perversion against him. She faked liking it but if this got her what she wanted she would continue doing it. She ran her hands through his thinning white hair and walked towards her bed. 

*~*~*~*

Hilde felt sorry for her poor horse but she had to keep going. It had taken her only one day to reach the Dushuku lands but she had pushed her horse to the limit. The poor animal was foaming and tired. It would be best if she left it and she walked the rest of the way. It wouldn't take her that long and she would probably see Duo's camp. Hilde reigned the horse to a stop, jumped off and led it to a small clearing with a creek running through it. She let go of the reigns and left the hors to drink and/or return home. She crouched down and drank some water. She didn't want to let it go since it was one of three she had received as a gift from King Quatre for helping him when his kingdom was going through a drought. She smiled at the memory. It had been simple really. So simple in fact that she'd had Claire summon the clouds and the rain. Her smile faded when she thought about Claire.

__

I hope that bitch isn't treating you badly because if she is I'm going to tear her limb from limb with my bare hands.

With one last longing look at her loyal horse, Hilde walked the rest of the way to the place where her children were being kept against their will. 

Tbc…

AN: Yeah I know it was nasty but it was important to know why she has so much power over him. 


	8. The Dark

AN: ! I'm still sick I guess. It's weird. I feel fine except my throat hurts, then I feel like crap and I get these spells of weakness and I have to go lie down and sleep. On another, not so lighter note, I think I might have carpel tunnel syndrome. If I do, I blame it on the typing and the extreme joy I find in writing. 

Warning: Hilde has some views about motherhood that some of you may not agree with. I'm sorry if you don't, but these are very close to MY views of motherhood. These beliefs come from personal experiences (no I don't have any kids and I've never been pregnant). Anyway, I'm seriously thinking that I'm going to have to change the rating.

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 8: The Dark

Natasha brushed her hair furiously. How she hated her father, that depraved old man. She hated him and that's why she had wanted to marry Maxwell. He was young, good looking and strong in mind and body. He was the opposite of everything she despised about her father. If it had been possible, she would have killed the old bastard a long time ago. Years ago, actually, when he had come into her room, drunk and mumbling about how much he missed her mother. _Disgusting old man! How could you do that to me? For years I've wanted nothing more than to escape from you! That's why I wanted to marry Duo Maxwell. I thought you would never agree but when you did it was the happiest moment of my life but that bastard had to say no! He ruined my chances to escape this hell you have created for me! _

Natasha sniffled and wiped the tears that had started leaking from her eyes with one of her hands. She looked at her mirror. She waved her hand before it and an image appeared in its depths. She smiled at the image of herself and Duo in their wedding attires. That's all she ever wanted. Natasha scowled as the image changed to one of Duo and his wife, Hilde. This was all her fault. She was married to the man of her dreams. It was all her fault and Natasha was going to make her pay. She closed her eyes and shook her head. The image on the mirror disappeared and, once again, only her reflection showed in it. 

Natasha paced around her room again. She had started to feel Hilde approaching a while ago. She didn't know how close she was but she was very close. Natasha's lips curled into a thin smile. "I will be ready for you when you get here, Hilde. Make no mistake about that you bitch!" she muttered to herself. 

Natasha's head turned as she heard shouts and the clang of metal. She smiled again as she looked out her window. _Looks like the war continues._ She laughed as she saw various men fall to their knees in agony at the hands of their enemy.

*~*~*~*

Hilde made it to the remnants of a camp. She had walked all through the night and most of the early morning but she had finally made it to what had been Duo's camp the previous night. They had left, and by the looks of it, it had been hours ago. 

Hilde sighed heavily. She had known that there was a chance she would not catch them at the camp but she had secretly wanted to get there before they left. She had wanted to make sure Duo was safe. The urge to cry suddenly overtook her. Her chin trembled and her eyes watered but she did not shed any tears. She had to be strong for anything that was to come. She knew that Natasha knew she was on her way to the castle. She had felt a presence in the back of her mind all day. It wasn't really a presence, it was more of a feeling than anything else, but Natasha was the only that could get in her head like that. She couldn't control her but she could wrap her power around her so much so that Hilde could hear her speak clearly. She knew that as she neared the castle that feeling would get stronger and, eventually, Natasha would be able to talk to her. _Damn. If only I could keep my mind off limits from her. But I know her secret. I know the how she got that power. _

Hilde sat in the camp long enough to get a small rest. She had ridden all night and all day yesterday until she had let her horse go and it had taken her all night to get here. She was tired and hungry but she would not stop. Her children's lives were at stake here and if she had to go without food and water for them she would. She rubbed her sore feet and stretched her arms and legs. Her stomach rumbled but she ignored it. She didn't have time to listen to what her body was telling her. She knew she would have to eat at some point but as long as she could get up she would ignore what her body told her. 

After a few minutes of rest she realized she had to eat. She hadn't really eaten during the three days she had been alone in the castle and today was the second day she was going without food. With a grimace she took out one of her concealed weapons and hunted for something to eat. She didn't need to worry about starting a fire since she could do that without blinking her eyes. All she had to do was concentrate. Her heart ached as she remembered teaching Claire and Lucas the proper way to do this. 

Her children were on her mind and in her heart wherever she went and in everything she did. They were the most precious of gifts life had given her. Before Lucas and Claire were born and before she had met Duo her life had been a meaningless jumble of emotions and because of that her powers had been out of control. Then she met Duo and, somehow, her chaotic emotions came to a semblance of control. This had multiplied as their relationship progressed and by the time Lucas and Claire were born she could all but completely separate her emotions from her power. True, it had taken her a long time to actually accomplish this but the feelings that she felt towards her husband and children had helped her accomplish it. 

When Duo told her to leave she had wanted to die. Once again she felt lost and adrift and her powers had once again taken control of her emotions. The feeling that death was her only way out completely flew out of her mind when she saw her children cradled in her arms in that carriage. She realized that she couldn't let those feelings overtake her, that she did have reasons to live. She could live without Duo but she could never live without her children. If she had died at the moment she realized that her spirit would wander the earth forever in agony at having left her children. She could never leave them. 

And this feeling is what had driven her all these years without Duo. Duo was the man of her dreams, the love of her life, but she was a mother first and a woman second. Her children came first. The love for her children would drive her to the ends of the earth if it was necessary. She would never abandon them if she had the choice. It wasn't that she didn't love Duo because she did, with all her heart and soul but the love a mother holds for her children is of a different kind. To love a man came from deep within your soul, but the love a mother had for her children was so much more than that. It was as different as night and day. 

__

Claire, Lucas be brave. I will never let anything happen to you. Never. If I have to kill a thousand people to keep you safe, I will.

She waited for a few minutes after she had finished eating for her food to settle. She would reach the castle in two hours at the most. She ached to hold her children and Duo. She desperately wanted them with her. 

__

Oh God, please let Lucas, Claire and Duo be safe. I don't want to lose my children, and I don't want to lose Duo a second time. Please keep them safe.

*~*~*~*

Duo was panting. He wiped the sweat from his brow with the back of his long sleeve. They had been here all morning but they relentless. This was the day he would get his children back.

__

If all my men have to die at the hands of these people then so be it! I will not rest until I have my children back. 

Duo was so tired. It had been a few days since they'd set off and there had been little food and hardly any sleep. The men were tired too but they were too loyal to say anything to him. They all felt they owed him for making his wife and children leave all those years ago. They had been selfish and narrow minded. 

All of the men had heard of the stories of the mystical beings who could control the elements and the weather and the ones who could heal. Legend had turned to reality though and they all soon found out that those beings were not mystical at all. Their magical powers not magical at all, but natural. Nature had bestowed upon them a precious gift that had been turned into a curse by the ones that were not gifted. 

Duo swung his sword and slashed across an enemy soldier's chest. He couldn't keep this up much longer. He was so tired and he couldn't keep his mind on the battle. Another man rushed at Duo. The large sword missed Duo's side by mere millimeters. Duo was too distracted and his thoughts of his children kept his mind away from where it should be.

The man had caught Duo off guard so now he had the advantage. He would keep on attacking, not letting up the tiniest bit to let Duo reciprocate. All he was able to do was fend off the attacks as best he could and try not to get killed. Duo's shield weighed heavily on his arm but it was what kept the enemy's sword from hitting its mark most of the time. With renewed determination, Duo struggled to keep the soldier off him. He was just too close to him. He brought his shield up close to his upper body and bowed his head slightly. He took a deep breath and rushed at the man with all his might and pushed him to the ground.

The man, too stunned to move, sat on the dirt and stared at the man who was known as the God of Death. His eyes widened as he saw the tip of Duo's sword start to inch, rather rapidly, towards his face, but still time stood still for the man. It was almost as if he could see the blade moving in slow motion. He saw Duo look at him with scorn in his eyes as he brought up his long sword; in mere seconds the blade lay imbedded in the man's eye, the tip of it protruding from the back of the man's skull.

Duo pulled the sword from the man's head and turned around only to see another one of Dushuku's inexperienced soldiers rushing towards him. A small smirk played on his lips as he reading himself.

The God of Death raised his sword high, letting the combined blood of the men he'd killed trickle down the long blade until it reached his hand. With the fastest swing he could muster Duo cut off the man's right arm, the one that held his sword. The man looked down, horrified at the sight of his severed arm, he clutched at the stump that was left and fell to his knees in front of the young king. He started at the fallen man for a minute before swinging his sword down one last to deliver the killing blow. Drops of blood splashed onto Duo's face and he wiped them off. He cleaned the handle of the sword with his shirt and raised his head to look into the distance. 

He looked around for a few seconds trying to assess how and what his men were doing. They seemed to be holding their own in the fight. He could see that his men, though small in number compared to Dushuku's forces, were much more skilled and experienced. He allowed himself a small smile and he gave a silent thanks to God for that small advantage. They had been at this for hours. He didn't know how much more they could take. He shook his head and psyched himself for the battle once more. He couldn't be distracted if this was to be the last day of battle. He wanted this to end today. 

Duo knew he shouldn't dwell too much on their victory. He knew it was near but he also knew that if they turned their heads even for a second then Natasha would bring down the heavens upon them. She hadn't shown up yet and he couldn't help but wonder when she was going to show up to help her father's men.

Though a beautiful girl, Natasha was sick and twisted. She liked to see other people suffer for no apparent reason. She liked to see others in pain; it brought her joy, which was precisely what she was doing to Duo. She had kidnapped his children because of his refusal to marry her. She hadn't gotten what she wanted so now she was going to make him suffer for it. And if he didn't hurry up she knew she would take out her anger and frustration on Claire and Lucas, if she hadn't already. 

He shuddered as he thought of what that woman was capable of. He'd heard stories but he'd turned a deaf ear to them and he couldn't ignore them now. His children were in jeopardy because a mad woman had wanted to marry him and he'd refused. 

__

She's insane, God. Lucas, Claire be brave. Be brave, I'm coming for you.

Duo turned his head sharply from side to side. Someone was calling his name. He stopped and stood still, as much as was possible anyway since they were in the middle of a war. 

"Damn it!" he swore as he recognized the voice. "Damn it!" he said again and rushed to where the sound was coming from. It was close, too close. 

He found Hilde standing amidst a sea of dead bodies. 

She tried to ignore the devastation around her to no avail. The stench of decaying bodies left out in the sun for long days made bile rise up in her throat. She brought up her hand to cover her mouth and nose but the sight of dozens of dead men made her stomach churn. She looked down at her feet at the soil, turned crimson from the blood of the many men who'd lost their lives.

Duo stopped to look at her. He hadn't wanted her to see this destruction. He had wanted to spare her the sight of bloody, headless bodies that covered the ground. With shake if his head, he willed his feet to move towards her. He have her a bone crushing hug when he reached her, securely tucking her head in his neck to stop her from looking at the severed limbs and bodies on the ground. He sighed when he felt her arms lock around his waist tightly.

He buried his face in her hair in turn taking comfort from here mere presence. He should have been angry that she had disobeyed him but he couldn't be. He had missed her so much that if he spoke now the words he wished to speak would not come. Her scent overwhelmed him. It was still her scent even after several days of no bathing and hard travel. The world stood still for those precious few seconds they basked in each other's warmth. For those precious few seconds they could pretend they were back in time when everything was alright. When they're children were safe from harm and they were still together. There was not Natasha, no war, no battles, no bloodshed. Only them and the love they held for each other.

He pulled away, but with her head and face still buried in his neck, he walked to the gates of the castle where he knew there would be no soldiers. The battle was too intense and he hoped that they were too busy fighting to notice he was gone. 

They glanced back at the chaotic battleground and sighed deeply, glad to be getting away from the screaming and the blood even if it was just for a few minutes. When they reached a secure location he placed his hands on her shoulders and shook her slightly. With his eyes boring into hers he asked intensely, "What are you doing here, Hilde?" 

With a pained expression she told him, "I had to come, Duo." Tears began to roll down her cheeks when she spoke. "I couldn't stay wondering if you and my children were dead or alive, Duo," she sobbed. 

His eyes were understanding but he was still angry. But he knew there was no point in arguing since she was already there. He wiped her tears away with his thumbs and kissed her forehead. "It's okay, Hilde. It's okay." He crushed her to his chest again and she reciprocated. 

"Are you alright, Duo? You're not hurt?" she asked, still sniffling a little. 

Duo shook his head in response in fear he would start crying if he said anything aloud. He felt like crying but wouldn't do so. This was no time for him to be crying like a baby. He needed to be strong for his family. 

**__**

I've see you've made it all the way here. I knew you would come.

Hilde stiffened in Duo's arms. He looked down at her worriedly when her expression went blank. "What's wrong, Hilde?"

Hilde didn't answer him, instead she put her hand up to her temple. 

__

You! You…how could you do this to my children? Why did you take them?

Hilde heard Natasha's laughter echo in her mind. 

****

Well, you have something I want-- or rather I wanted-- and now I have something that you want.

Duo searched his wife's face for any sign of pain or discomfort but found none. He knew it must be Natasha's doing. Whatever was going on with Hilde, it had to be Natasha. He felt helpless and useless, he couldn't do anything if Natasha and Hilde were using telepathy. All he could do was stand there and look at Hilde.

__

This is beyond that! You don't just have something I want, you have my children!

**__**

Don't worry, Hilde. Tell your husband to call his men back. Then you and him come up, alone.

There was no mistaking the venom that dripped from the woman's voice, and she was enjoying the upper hand.

Hilde stared at Duo. "She wants you to call your men back, and go in the castle alone, just the two of us," she whispered.

Duo nodded, turned and ran to his captain. He gave him orders and came back to get Hilde. 

Together, they walked in the gates and headed for the guard that would guide them to Natasha's location and, hopefully, their children's also.

Tbc…

AN: Did you guys like that part with the skull and the sword and the blood as much as I did? Bloodthirsty ain't I? *giggles* I blame it all on watching Kenshin and reading too many Kenshin/Battousai fics. The rating has officially been changed to R. You'll soon find out why if you haven't all ready. 


	9. The Price

AN: Sorry nothing really important happened in the last chapter. Oh well. Let's hope some good stuff happens in this one!

Warning: This chapter is rated R for content. It's dark. Dark.

The Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 9: The Price

Duo and Hilde followed Natasha's soldier up a narrow set of stairs slowly, neither of them knew what was going to happen and their uncertainty showed plainly on both their faces. They both wondered what this woman had up her sleeve this time. Duo wondered what he was going to do once he reached Natasha's room. He wondered if the children were there with her. What were they doing? How were they doing? Had she done something to them? Where had she kept them this whole time they had been away from their mother?

Hilde, on the other hand, was angry at the woman who had taken her children from her. She had taken them for no reason at all and she hated her for it. She couldn't wait to get her hands on her. She wanted to tear her limb from limb. She wished the woman would just spontaneously combust. How dare she put her hands on Lucas and Claire? How dare she attempt to put a price on their lives? She and Duo were not worth anything compared to their children, and neither was Natasha. Ten of her would never equal Lucas and Claire.

They were precious; they were clean and untainted. The were not jaded by the outside world. They were as pure as the white, falling snow flakes. She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice when the soldier stopped and she collided with his back. 

The man glared at her and turned back to open the door at the end of the long stairway. 

Natasha was smiling broadly when the three of them entered the chamber. Her eyes were alight with glee and satisfaction and they never left their faces.

Hilde hoped her face cracked from the big smile she had and scanned the room for any sign of her children. When she finally saw them her mother's heart broke. She tried to run to them but was stopped by large, uncaring hands. She looked behind her to glare at the soldier and her heart sank into her stomach. Four more soldiers had joined the single one they had been following. Her angry eyes went back to Natasha's smiling face. Hilde's eyes were ablaze with anger and resentment towards the redheaded woman. She was so angry and the tightly kept leash she had on her emotions threatened to give. Her emotions screamed to be let free, to spill over. She wanted rain to come down, she wanted hail and she wanted to make the fire in earth's core come up and consume Natasha.

Lucas and Claire didn't say anything, but they did cast hopeful glances at Duo and Hilde. They knew better than to try anything when the woman, Natasha, was in the room. They were scared of her. She had yelled at them and she had slapped them before.

"I'm so glad you both could make it," she said, genuinely happy. She smiled again, broadly, her eyes held amusement. 

Neither responded to her comment, their eyes were fixed in Lucas and Claire. On their dirty, tattered clothing. Their tiny wrists bound by a rough length of rope. Duo physically flinched at the thought of their tender skin being touched by the coarse rope.

"Come now, don't be so shy! We're all her together," she said and laughed. She would make them all pay for what they had done to her.

"Let them go!" Hilde yelled at her. She was breathing hard and the constriction in her chest was painful. She wanted to cry so badly. She had a lump in her throat and she was afraid it would choke her. She wanted to run to Lucas and Claire and hold them. 

Natasha moved towards the children and both Duo and Hilde tried to get here before her but the soldiers' hands held them tightly by their upper arms and pulled them back. They forced them both to their knees on the hard stone floor. 

"Leave them alone, you bitch!" Duo yelled. "They have nothing to do with this!"

Hilde continued to fight against the hands that held her. Two guards held each of them and they saw one walk towards Natasha, who was now a few feet away from the children. The soldier grabbed the rope that held the children and yanked it upwards harshly making them stand up.

Hilde felt her hands grow hot with the need to do something, anything. She had a tight reign on her powers but it got more difficult with each passing second. She fisted her hands until they hurt, never taking her eyes away from her children.

"Oh but they have everything to do with it, my dear Duo. They are the reason you will not marry me. And I always get what I want, and if I don't… well… then I destroy it," she said matter of factly. She reached her hand out to softly caress Claire's chestnut tresses.

"Don't touch her!" Lucas yelled bravely. That earned him a chuckle from Natasha and a hard tug of the rope from the soldier.

"Such a brave little soul," she said and continued to stroke the little girl's hair. "Such beautiful children you two have. And they look so much like you Duo!" She laughed prettily and flipped her hair over her shoulder.

"Leave them alone, Natasha. Take your anger out on Hilde and me but leave them alone!"

Natasha scowled and grabbed a fistful of the hair she had been almost lovingly stroking, making the little girl scream in pain.

"Don't touch her! I swear I'll kill you if you hurt her," Hilde screamed. She once again tried to get up but the soldiers kept her down with a firm grip. "Can you read my mind? Can you? Can you see what I want to do to you? What I will do to you?" she screamed again.

Natasha's mood brightened again and she laughed. "Hilde, Hilde, you must calm down. You don't want me to hurt her do you?" With her hand still in Claire's hair she produced a dagger from within the folds of her gown. "Because if you push me too hard I'll hurt her and then him.," she said pointing at Lucas.

Duo stared angrily at Natasha and the dagger she held in her hand. "You're insane!"

She looked at him and scowled once again. She pulled Claire's head back even further and put the dagger up to her neck.

The little girl whimpered making Hilde struggle more against her captors. 

Duo immediately regretted his words. He was breathing hard now too with the anger and fear of what Natasha could do to Lucas and Claire.

"Don't say that Duo," she purred. "I'm not insane. My father is insane and you're insane for turning my offer of marriage down! I'm not insane!" she yelled and dug the tip of the dagger a little bit more into the girl's neck. She whimpered again but didn't scream. Her violet yes, so much like Duo's, were wide with fear but she kept them open and on the woman who held her young life in her hands.

"I'm getting tired of this! I'll make you all pay for what you did to me! I'll make you pay for keeping me here with my father in my misery!" She dug the dagger further into Claire's neck, hard enough to draw blood.

Hilde screamed and the clouds appeared. She frantically tried to get up and out of the hands of the men that held her. With their combined strength she couldn't get up and they held her to watch how Natasha hurt her daughter.

"Oh God! I'll marry you if that's what you want but don't hurt her! Stop it! I'll make you my wife but stop it!"

Natasha laughed again but this time her true, sick nature showed. She looked outside and saw it was raining. "You think that will make it all better?" She shook her head and laughed again. "It's not about that anymore. This is all about teaching you all a lesson. You don't get a second chance here, Maxwell. I make the rules and I say you don't get a second chance to make everything right with me!" She looked down at the bleeding little girl in her arms and her eyes hardened. She plunged the dagger into the girl's neck and watched her bleed. The little girl's eyes widened in pain and in horror. She grabbed at her slender little neck but the bleeding was too much. She gurgled and blood poured from her mouth, her eyes rolling to the back of her head to finally close. She went limp and Natasha let her drop onto the floor all the while staring at the dagger she held in her hand.

Hilde's eyes were wide with horror. In a second she was on her feet, the guards trying desperately to hold her thrashing body. "I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!" she screamed over and over again. "No! Claire, Claire!" Rivulets of tears fell from her eyes and her cheeks were now completely wet. She thrashed around wildly trying to get to her daughter.

Duo closed his eyes at the sight. Anger and shame swelled up in his chest. Tears leaked from his tightly shut eyes. 

Natasha looked around wildly and her eyes landed on Lucas. She stumbled over Claire's now lifeless body and grabbed the little boy. "I'll make you all pay," she whispered. She grabbed the little boy and once again delivered a killing blow. 

Hilde lost it then and with great strength and speed she tore away from the soldiers that had been struggling to keep her still. She blindly charged at Natasha, who was taken by surprise and had to time to react. Hilde grabbed the dagger that had killed her children from Natasha's hand and sank it into Natasha's neck and chest. 

__

Kill her! Stab her! Take away her life! 

She stabbed Natasha over and over and over again. 

The soldiers stared at her in shock and fear. The small, black haired woman was like a savage beast . She tore at Natasha's chest with the dagger like it would make her children come back to life.

The soldiers who held Duo, snapping out of their shock first, dropped his arms and tried to stop Hilde. A big mistake. Hilde turned on them, her eyes glazed over. The storm raged outside as well as inside. Wind swirled around in the room and Hilde pounced on the two men, like some wild panther, and they were dead within seconds. 

Tbc…

AN: Wow… I had so much trouble writing that scene where Natasha killed Claire… I couldn't bring myself to write it at first. Like I said before, I'm not much for action. Well, I hope you guys liked it… I know it's dark. Please R&R!


	10. The Dawn

AN: Yes! The end is here! I'm so happy! Please read and review! Much thanks to all those who reviewed. One thing though, don't be appalled at my skills for writing action. I suck at it. I'm sorry.

What else? There is a few paragraphs that should be in italics but theyr'e not. They're flashbacks but they don't appear as italics... I hate when the format gets messed up! Anyway, it's marked...

Warning: This chapter is **dark**. Not too much but still enough to warrant a warning and an R rating.

Disclaimer: Duo and Hilde are not mine. But the old, dirty, perverted, Lord Dushuku and his psycho daughter, Natasha are... does that seem fair to you?

**The Gift of Cursed Blood******

Chapter 10: The Dawn

Duo was frozen in his spot. He couldn't move from where he stood. His heart ached, literally. It churned and twisted painfully in his chest at the site of his children covered in blood and at the site of Hilde tearing into Natasha and the soldiers like a wild animal. Rage burned inside his heart along with despair. Tears formed and threatened to spill from his eyes. He sensed more than heard hurried steps coming up the steps behind him. They got closer and their shouts were heard clearly.

Three more soldiers burst in along with Dushuku, who gasped at the site of his daughter lying on the ground in a pool of blood. His eyes going wide at the carnage and bloodlust radiating from the small, pixie-like woman stabbing his daughter's remaining soldiers. "What have you done to my daughter?" he whispered.

Duo turned around to face them and unsheathed his sword, his eyes clouded over with anger and despair. He would not let any of them get away; he would not let any of them live.

Dushuku physically shuddered at the murderous rage in the young king's eyes and motioned for his soldiers to charge. "What are you waiting for you imbeciles? You want him to kill me?" he shouted at the hesitant soldiers. He backed away from Duo, who by this time was almost upon them.

One of the soldiers fearfully unsheathed his sword, holding it in front of him more in protection than in a fighting stance.

Duo glared at the men standing before him. His only thought was of revenge. He didn't care anymore that Hilde was still slaughtering what was left of the poor defenseless soldiers that had once been holding them. There had been five of them and she had all but annihilated them. Her visible skin and her hair were covered in blood, but she didn't stop, and she would not until they were all unrecognizable pieces of flesh.

Duo could almost hear the pounding of his victims' hearts as he came closer. He stepped closer and closer with little steps enjoying their fear far too much to let his pleasure end too soon. Each step he took forward would make the young soldier all but stumble back to try to keep as much distance between himself and the God of Death, the most feared legend in the surrounding countries at only twenty-three years of age.

With a quick swing, Duo knocked the sword from the soldier's hands making it land with a clatter on the blood covered ground underneath their feet. The soldier uttered a high-pitched squeal and looked behind him, realizing, for the first time, that his comrades were not behind him and neither one had drawn his sword. His breath quickened, sweat ran down his temples and the little droplets would hang for a second on his chin before letting themselves fall victim to gravity.

Duo took another step towards him, both his hands gripping the hilt of his sword. He saw the young soldier's mouth move but he did not register the words that came out of his mouth. It might have been a curse, a prayer or a plea. With a well-practiced swing and a forward thrust, Duo buried his sword into the soldier's stomach, reveling at the sickening plop the blood-slicked sword made when he pulled it out.

He could feel the fear radiating from the other men in the room, and he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. The could almost hear their hearts beat faster as he turned his deadly, violet gaze towards them. It was their turn. He made quick work of them, their fear paralyzing them and making them victims. Soon, the only one left was Dushuku. He wanted him to suffer, he wanted to torture him and prolong his death, but a quick glance at Hilde behind him told him that he did not have time for that.

"You will die today," he said to Dushuku. "And I will make your death is fast, but I won't promise it will not be painful."

Dushuku made a whimpering sound and tried to run, but Duo, being much younger and agile, beat him to the exit. Dushuku was visibly shaking. He could not summon enough courage to draw his own sword. It did not matter. He knew Duo would kill him even before he could try.

He closed his eyes when he saw Duo grip the hilt of his sword tighter, he could see the wheels in his head turning as he gauged the distance between the two of them and how much force he would have to use to kill him.

With practiced ease, and a well-executed swing, Duo decapitated Lord Dushuku. He kneeled on the floor and started at the lifeless face of the one of the people who had caused all of this.

His eyes returned to Hilde, they hardened; he clenched his jaw and stood from his place on the floor.

His knees threatened to give out from under him but he stood his ground. With a determined step, he walked over to her. When he finally reached her he halted her hand in midair, as she was about to embed the dagger one more time into the dead man's body. She was almost completely covered in blood and the savage look in her eyes almost scared him. He almost took a step back as she turned her furious eyes on him.

"Stop," he whispered. "Please stop."

She wrenched her hand from his and moved away from him snarling.

But her eyes quickly cleared as she looked at him. In seconds, they no longer held the animalistic blood lust, the savagery they'd had but moments before. At once they filled with tears and she let out a strangled cry. Her eyes turned away from his and they settled on Claire. With a sob, she crawled over to her and cradled her head against her chest.

The child's body had already gone cold. Too much blood had been lost too fast, and too much time had elapsed. There was nothing she could do for her. "My baby," she whispered brokenly as she stroked the child's once lively, red cheeks.

The grief he now felt was as great as the happiness and amazement he'd felt when Claire and Lucas were born. Knowing he had helped create two little perfect people had elated him to no end. And now, with his heart in pain, knowing they were dead caused a deep ache in his heart. He walked over to his fallen son and he couldn't help but weep. He might as well be dead now too. He took one of the soldier's cloaks and began the heartbreaking task of wrapping his son's body for their journey home. After he'd persuaded Hilde to let go of Claire, he did the same thing to her. They each picked up one child and made their way down the long stairway.

Outside, the rain beat down on the bodies of the fallen soldiers. The battle raged no more, and all was calm.

* * *

It had been six weeks since the murder of his children and Duo was no closer to getting Hilde to talk to him. He would not allow her to go back to her cabin in the woods for two reasons.

One, he knew that there were too many memories of their children there. And two because he himself was lonely. He didn't want to be alone anymore. Not after all of these years, and especially not after the events of the last few weeks.

He sighed. More than once he'd caught Hilde talking to herself. She said she was talking to Claire and Lucas. It was getting bad. He didn't know what to do. It was more and more rare the times he could speak to Hilde, a lucid Hilde. Most of the time she was lost within her own mind, and she wouldn't let him in. She would not eat for days on end; she would not speak to him. She barely acknowledged his presence anymore. It broke his heart to see her like this. And it was all his fault. He remembered the last time her mind had been clear enough to allow her to talk to him. It was two weeks ago.

* * *

_Flashback_

"You have to eat something, Hilde. It's not good for you to skip so many meals," he pleaded with her. But she still refused to eat. "Hilde don't make me force-feed you again!" he said, slamming the place down on the table. He clenched his fists at his sides in frustration.

She turned angry blue eyes at him. "How can I eat when my children can't eat anymore, Duo? How can I enjoy anything in life when they're not here to enjoy it? What is left for me, Duo?"

Tears burned in his eyes. "Me," he whispered softly. "I'm here with you, Hilde. Can't you do this for me?" he asked miserably.

She wiped the tears from her eyes but they fell down her cheeks nonetheless. "I don't want to hurt you, Duo, but I haven't had you for a long time. And during all that time I only had them. They were my reason for doing anything. And if I don't have them, then I don't know what to do with myself. I don't know what to do with my life anymore."

He sighed. She was right.

"Why was Fate so cruel to us, Duo? What did we ever do? All we did was love each other. All I did was love you and lover our children. And she took them away! They didn't even get a real chance at life, Duo. They were five years old. No mother should have to see her children's throats be slit! Why couldn't we be happy? The four of us. Just the four of us."

Duo held her as she cried. He didn't have any answers to her questions. How could he have any answers when he wondered the same thing?

_End flashback_

* * *

But nothing of what had transpired the last few weeks could have prepared Duo for what happened next.

He was taking Hilde her dinner, as he did every evening. She wouldn't eat unless he was with her almost forcing it down her throat. He was so tired. Tired of everything. Of life, of death. He was just tired.

He called her name when he entered her bedroom. She wasn't sitting in her usual spot and that made him wonder where she was. "Hilde?" he called once more. He walked further into the bedroom and set the tray with her food down on the small table. Suddenly a smell assaulted his nose. It was a strange smell, yet very familiar. One he'd smelled many times before.

He followed his hi nose to where the smell got stronger and what he saw made his heart stop.

There was his wife, on the floor on the other side of the bed, laying in a pool of blood. Her blood. With red, longwise cuts on her wrists, which were no longer bleeding. He crawled on the bed and reached the other side. He kneeled at her side and touched her face gently, afraid to feel death on her skin. He was too late. Again. Her skin was cold; she'd been dead for hours.

After they buried their children, Hilde had told him that there was nothing that could possibly cause more grief than the death of their children. She'd been wrong. "Not you, Hilde. You were the only one left for me, Hilde. What's left for me now?" he whispered sadly. He didn't bother to wipe his tears away this time. There was no reason to pretend it didn't hurt him. There was no reason to pretend to be strong anymore. He wondered briefly if the grief he felt in his heart would ever subside. If it would ever just turn into a deep sadness within him. As he was about to take her lifeless hand in his, he noticed the dagger she still held in her grip. It was the same dagger Natasha had used to kill their children.

He took the dagger from her hand and stared at it through his tears for a long time. This dagger had taken everything from him. His children, and his wife. How very fitting that it should take his life too.

The End

AN: I feel the need to say that there will be an alternate ending posted sometime... tomorrow… maybe... 


	11. The Dawn: Alternate Ending

Gift of Cursed Blood

Chapter 10: The Dawn

_**Alternate Ending**_

Duo was frozen in his spot. He couldn't move from where he stood. His heart ached, literally. It churned and twisted painfully in his chest at the site of his children covered in blood and at the site of Hilde tearing into Natasha and the soldiers like a wild animal. Rage burned inside his heart along with despair. Tears formed and threatened to spill from his eyes. He sensed more than heard hurried steps coming up the steps behind him. They got closer and their shouts were heard clearly.

Three more soldiers burst in along with Dushuku, who gasped at the site of his daughter lying on the ground in a pool of blood. His eyes going wide at the carnage and bloodlust radiating from the small, pixie-like woman stabbing his daughter's remaining soldiers. "What have you done to my daughter?" he whispered.

Duo turned around to face them and unsheathed his sword, his eyes clouded over with anger and despair. He would not let any of them get away; he would not let any of them live.

Dushuku physically shuddered at the murderous rage in the young king's eyes and motioned for his soldiers to charge. "What are you waiting for you imbeciles? You want him to kill me?" he shouted at the hesitant soldiers. He backed away from Duo, who by this time was almost upon them.

One of the soldiers fearfully unsheathed his sword, holding it in front of him more in protection than in a fighting stance.

Duo glared at the men standing before him. His only thought was of revenge. He didn't care anymore that Hilde was still slaughtering what was left of the poor defenseless soldiers that had once been holding them. There had been five of them and she had all but annihilated them. Her visible skin and her hair were covered in blood, but she didn't stop, and she would not until they were all unrecognizable pieces of flesh.

Duo could almost hear the pounding of his victims' hearts as he came closer. He stepped closer and closer with little steps enjoying their fear far too much to let his pleasure end too soon. Each step he took forward would make the young soldier all but stumble back to try to keep as much distance between himself and the God of Death, the most feared legend in the surrounding countries at only twenty-three years of age.

With a quick swing, Duo knocked the sword from the soldier's hands making it land with a clatter on the blood covered ground underneath their feet. The soldier uttered a high-pitched squeal and looked behind him, realizing, for the first time, that his comrades were not behind him and neither one had drawn his sword. His breath quickened, sweat ran down his temples and the little droplets would hang for a second on his chin before letting themselves fall victim to gravity.

Duo took another step towards him, both his hands gripping the hilt of his sword. He saw the young soldier's mouth move but he did not register the words that came out of his mouth. It might have been a curse, a prayer or a plea. With a well-practiced swing and a forward thrust, Duo buried his sword into the soldier's stomach, reveling at the sickening plop the blood-slicked sword made when he pulled it out.

He could feel the fear radiating from the other men in the room, and he was drawn to it like a moth to a flame. The could almost hear their hearts beat faster as he turned his deadly, violet gaze towards them. It was their turn. He made quick work of them, their fear paralyzing them and making them victims. Soon, the only one left was Dushuku. He wanted him to suffer, he wanted to torture him and prolong his death, but a quick glance at Hilde behind him told him that he did not have time for that.

"You will die today," he said to Dushuku. "And I will make your death is fast, but I won't promise it will not be painful."

Dushuku made a whimpering sound and tried to run, but Duo, being much younger and agile, beat him to the exit. Dushuku was visibly shaking. He could not summon enough courage to draw his own sword. It did not matter. He knew Duo would kill him even before he could try.

He closed his eyes when he saw Duo grip the hilt of his sword tighter, he could see the wheels in his head turning as he gauged the distance between the two of them and how much force he would have to use to kill him.

With practiced ease, and a well-executed swing, Duo decapitated Lord Dushuku. He kneeled on the floor and started at the lifeless face of one of the people who had caused all of this.

His eyes returned to Hilde, they hardened; he clenched his jaw and stood from his place on the floor.

His knees threatened to give out from under him but he stood his ground. With a determined step, he walked over to her. When he finally reached her he halted her hand in midair, as she was about to embed the dagger one more time into the dead man's body. She was almost completely covered in blood and the savage look in her eyes almost scared him. He almost took a step back as she turned her furious eyes on him.

"Stop," he whispered. "Please stop."

She wrenched her hand from his and moved away from him snarling.

But her eyes quickly cleared as she looked at him. In seconds, they no longer held the animalistic blood lust, the savagery they'd had but moments before. At once they filled with tears and she let out a strangled cry. Her eyes turned away from his and they settled on Claire. With a sob, she crawled over to her and cradled her head against her chest.

The child's body had already gone cold. Too much blood had been lost too fast, and too much time had elapsed. There was nothing she could do for her. "My baby," she whispered brokenly as she stroked the child's once lively, red cheeks.

The grief he now felt was as great as the happiness and amazement he'd felt when Claire and Lucas were born. Knowing he had helped create two little perfect people had elated him to no end. And now, with his heart in pain, knowing they were dead caused a deep ache in his heart. He walked over to his fallen son and he couldn't help but weep. He might as well be dead now too. He took one of the soldier's cloaks and began the heartbreaking task of wrapping his son's body for their journey home. After he'd persuaded Hilde to let go of Claire, he did the same thing to her. They each picked up one child and made their way down the long stairway.

Outside, the rain beat down on the bodies of the fallen soldiers. The battle raged no more, and all was calm.

* * *

_One year later…_

You can never forget a child. No matter how short a time they are with you, he or she is unforgettable. Duo loved to sit with Hilde in the evenings and have her tell him stories about Lucas and Claire. She would keep him entranced for hours by telling him of their first words, their first steps and even the first time they showed their gift. He felt much closer to her now that he knew of all the things she'd done and been through since she'd left him. But he still couldn't shake the feelings of guilt that plagued him. No matter now much time he set aside to spend with Hilde, no matter what he did for her, he could never forget the fact that his children had been strangers to him. And he to them. He would never forget the childish animosity in Lucas' eyes the first time he'd set eyes on his father.

He didn't blame the child, of course. How could he? After all, Lucas had been only five years old and he saw himself as the man of the house, even at that age. He'd felt he had to protect his mother from anything that may cause her harm or distress. He often smiled, though, when he remembered the wide-eyed manner in which he'd looked at Lucas that very first time. His heart dropped down to his stomach and his whole body went hot. He never could have imagined that he could have spawned such a perfect little creature. And he'd looked a lot like him too. He saw himself in his child's eyes, eyes that were exact replicas of his.

Claire had also had his eyes. She was a beautiful child and she would have made a beautiful woman. He could see himself in her eyes too, but she was her mother's daughter. The short hours they had been at the castle and that he'd interacted with her he had seen the childish wonder with which she saw the world. So much like her mother had been all those years ago when he'd first met her.

But there was nothing he could do about the regrets he had about his lost children. All he could do now was try and make it up to their mother. There was nothing he wanted more than to finally be happy after all these years and after the tragedy that had befallen them.

Duo turned on his side and wrapped his arm around Hilde, snuggling his chest closer to her back. He sighed against her hair and settled down for sleep with a smile on his lips.

Hilde found herself happier than she had been in a very long time. Happier than a year ago at least. It had been so very hard for her the first few months after the death of her children. She had fallen into a depression that had almost killed her. She had tried to slit her wrists, and if Duo had not found her she would have been dead.

And she was so happy to be alive today. She couldn't help but smile in anticipation. The other side of the bed shifted and she felt Duo's arm wrap around her distended belly. She placed her hand on top of his and smiled, feeling the baby inside her kick and change positions. After all the death she had seen that day she never would have imagined that life would once again grow within her. She loved Duo but there had always been an empty space within her. A space that had been filled again by the tiny baby that would be arriving any day.

She would never attempt to replace Lucas and Claire with the new baby, but Lucas and Claire were gone. She'd fought hard with herself to accept that, and now that she had she had to concentrate on the here and now. And that here and now was the child she and Duo had created. A new life and a new beginning

The End…

AN: So? Did ya like it? It's certainly a lot less sad than the original, huh? Well, that's it for this story. Yup, it's all over and done with. And I would just like to thank each and every one of the people that read, reviewed and/or emailed me about this story. And even if you just read but didn't review, thank you anyway and I hope you enjoyed this story. I'm sorry it took me so long to finish it, but I promised I would finish it and I did. See you guys next time! Now I'll get back to work on my other unfinished stories.


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